Amphibians · Anura · Arthroleptidae

Dune Squeaker

Arthroleptis stenodactylus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The dune squeaker is a small, unobtrusive amphibian of the African leaf litter that breeds without needing standing water: the eggs, laid in damp soil beneath the leaves, hatch directly into fully formed froglets. That independence from water has let it colonise forests and savannahs with no permanent pools.

Size

2.5 cm – 4.5 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaRainforestTemperate forestInsectivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Savanna Rainforest Temperate forest

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Fun facts

It needs no water to breed: the eggs develop completely in damp soil under the leaf litter and out of them come tiny, fully formed froglets, never passing through a tadpole stage.
During the breeding season the males of its genus grow an extraordinarily elongated third finger on their hands, whose function is still debated.
Its tiny size and its life among the leaf litter make it practically invisible, and much of what is known about its distribution comes from recordings of its call.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Leaf litter of rainforest, wooded savannah and plantations of eastern and southern Africa
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: Direct development in the egg, with no tadpole stage
Litter / clutch size: 30 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthroleptis_stenodactylus